For the Purity Brewing Company taking part in the inaugural Vélo Birmingham 100-mile closed road cycle sportive was a suggestion that didn’t need much time to ferment.

Several members of staff cycle to work, its brewery location was discovered during a bike ride and Purity recently launched Saddle Black; a dark beer described as ‘a nod to the world of the bicycle’.

As such, it is only fitting the award-winning master brewers will have a Business 100 team taking part in Vélo Birmingham, which takes place on Sunday, September 24.

Purity Director of Brewing Florent Vialan with Martin Johnson

Purity’s Director of Brewing, Florent Vialan, also known as ‘Flo’, took part in a recent training cycle with Rugby World Cup-winning captain and Vélo Birmingham ambassador Martin Johnson CBE.

Starting and finishing at Purity’s brewery near Alcester, the training cycle featured more than 150 participants of the Business 100 and is one of the exclusive events companies get to take part in by entering a team in the corporate challenge.

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Speaking after the training cycle with a well-earned Purity beer in hand, Flo, who hails from Lyon in France, said: “I live six miles away and come rain or shine I cycle to the brewery every day, but I’ve never taken part in an organised bike race in my life.

“This will be the first opportunity to take part in a closed-road cycle ride and I’m really looking forward to it.

“At Purity we love to cycle and we get a lot of cyclists visiting us.

“After launching our Saddle Black, which was created for the cycling community, the whole connection with cycling really strengthened for us.

“The one thing I realise more and more is that cycling is much more of a team activity than I thought it would be.

“Getting out on our bikes is a real social event. Anyone can cycle, it’s a great community and I would encourage people to take part in Vélo.”

See Vélo Birmingham preview below

Organised by CSM Active, in partnership with Birmingham City Council, Vélo Birmingham starts and finishes on Broad Street in Birmingham city centre before taking riders on an unforgettable journey on closed roads through Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Sandwell and Dudley.

Vélo Birmingham is the flagship event of the Birmingham Cycle Revolution – a Birmingham City Council initiative aiming to make cycling an everyday way to travel in Birmingham over the next 20 years.

How you can join Purity in the Vélo Birmingham Business 100 Challenge

Birmingham City Council Deputy Leader Coun Ian Ward with Jon Ridgeon from CSM Active and Martin Johnson at launch of Vélo Birmingham

The 15,000-capacity event sold out inside four days last September, however places are still available for company teams to enter through the Business 100.

Companies signing up for the Business 100 challenge enjoy a VIP experience coupled with exclusive training events and networking opportunities – but places are limited.

Well over £1 million is expected to be raised for charity by Vélo Birmingham entrants and it is hoped the Business 100 alone will raise over £100,000 for good causes across the Midlands.

For further information about the Vélo Birmingham Business 100 challenge and to sign up click here